Refrigerator



April 12,1938. w, REILLY 2,114,086

W. l. REILLY REFRIGERATOR April 12,1938.

- Filed Feb. 17, 1937 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 w. l. REILLY 2,114,086

REFRIGERATOR Filed Feb. 17, 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 April 12, 1938.

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RYMWW Patented Apr. 12 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE signor to Tennessee Furniture Corporation, Chattanooga, Tenn., a corporation of Tennessee Application February 17, 1937, Serial No. 126,287

15 Claims.

This invention is a novel improvement in airconditioning ice refrigerators designed to maintain therein a relatively constant temperature and humidity, same embodying the features of circulation of air together with washing of the air while in circulation, said refrigerator comprising an insulated casing containing an ice chamber disposed above a provision chamber, each chamber being provided with suitably insulated doors at the front and an insulated rail or cross-member at the front of the casing serving to complete the closure of the two doors and to support the front of the ice rack and to carry the weight of the ice while being introduced into the ice chamber.

The principal object of said invention is to provide a refrigerator of the above type with a novel ice rack consisting of a fixed upper grid member directly supporting the block of ice and connected at the front to the insulated rail and at the sides and rear to the lining of the walls so as to form a permanent part of the refrigerator; said ice rack also comprising a lower removable drawer-like member consisting of upper and lower drain and sweat grids secured together as a unit, and slidably mounted in guides depending from the fixed grid member, said guides being disposed opposite the upper portion of the door opening for the provision chamber whereby when the provi- 01 sion door is opened the drain grid unit can be pulled out along its guides through the door opening of the provision chamber in a manner similar to an ordinary drawer, when it is desired to wash or clean the pan unit, without disturbing either the ice in the ice chamber or the food or drain pipe in the provision chamber; the drain grid unit being replaceable under the fixed grid in a similar manner, after same has been washed.

Other minor objects of the invention will be hereinafter set forth.

I will explain the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate one practical embodiment thereof to enable others to adopt and use same; and will summarize in the a claims the novel features of construction, and

novel combinations of parts, for which protection Fig. 2 is a perspective view similar to Fig. 1

55, but showing the removable drip grid memberpartially withdrawn like a drawer through the opening for the provision chamber door.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged transverse section, partly in elevation, through the ice rack and adjacent portions of the ice and provision chambers, also showing the drain. pipe secured to the rear wall of the provision chamber.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged longitudinal section through the ice rack and adjacent portions of the ice and provision chambers.

As shown, the refrigerator comprises an insulated casing of any desired type having side walls I, rear wall 2, a top 3, also a bottom, the front of the casing being open and provided with a hinged door 5 for the upper or ice chamber A, and with a hinged door 6 for the lower or provision chamber B which may be equipped with the usual racks R in the customary manner. At the front of the casing disposed at the approximate elevation of the top of the ice rack is an insulated rail 1 serving with the doors 5 and 6 to complete the closure of the casing, said rail also serving to support the ice rack and to take the weight of the ice as same is being introduced into the ice chamber A.

The ice rack comprises a fixed grid 8 preferably 4 formed of a single sheet of heavy gauge galvanized steel, through which a series of parallel flues 8a. are punched and pressed so as to provide a series of parallel fore and aft bars 81) which are upwardly rounded or arched as shown in Fig. 3, said bars 8b directly supporting the block of ice which melts down through the fines 8a. The rounding or arching of grid members 8b materially strengthens the bars 812 and. provides for better circulation of air and meltage of ice.

The side and rear edges of grid 8 are flanged upwardly as at 80 and permanently secured to the inner lining B of the refrigerator in any desired manner, such as by rivets 8d (Fig. 3) or the like passing through the flanges 8c and through the upperportion of the lining B. The lining A of the ice chamber A as shown preferably partially overlaps the inner faces of the flanges 8c and is then bent back over the tops of the flanges as shown at A to make a neat finish.

The front edge of grid 8 is flanged upwardly as at 8e and outwardly as at 8f over the top of rail 1 (Fig. 4) in order to support the front of the grid, and also to protect the upper face of the rail from wear when blocks of ice are being introduced into ice chamber A through the opening or door 5. Preferably grid 8 slopes downwardly toward the rear wall 2 of the casing in order that the ice block will tend to slip towards the rear of the casing, preventing ice from falling out of the chamber when door 5 is opened.

Removably supported below the fixed grid 8 is a drain grid unit 9 comprising an upper or drain grid 9a and a lower or sweat grid 9b formed into a single unit, removable from the provision chamber B like a drawer, said unit being of less width than the opening for provision chamber door 6, and said unit being adapted to carry off drainage from the melting ice and drippings from the ice rack 8. As shown, secured to the sides of ice rack 8 between lining A and flanges 8c are plates ll having outwardly opening channel guides Ha formed in their lower edges adapted to receive raised inwardly extending flanges 9h at the sides of the drain unit 9, the channel guides being disposed at an elevation somewhat below the top of the opening for door 6 of the provision chamber so that the drain pan unit 9 can be pulled out like a drawer (Figs. 2 and 4) through the provision chamber door opening, without necessitating removal of the ice from the ice chamber A, or removal of food from the provision chamber B, or adjustment of the drain pipe l8 when it is necessary to Wash or clean the drain unit 9; and this provision for the withdrawal of the drain grid unit as a drawer through the opening for the door 6 of the provision chamber without disturbing either the drain pipe, ice or contents of the provision chamber, is a very desirable and important feature in that it greatly facilitates maintaining the refrigerator in clean and sanitary condition with a minimum of effort.

The drain grid unit 9 comprises a drain bottom grid 9a and a sweat bottom grid 91)- disposed in parallel relation, each grid 9a, having upturned flanges 90 at their edges which when the grids are interfitted as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, are secured together such as by bolts 9d (Fig. 4) or the like, and/or by spot welding or the like, to form a prefabricated box-like unit of somewhat smaller width than the opening for door 6 of the provision chamber.

The drain bottom grid 9a and sweat bottom grid 9b of the pan unit are of substantially the same size and shape, both being punched and pressed to form vertically aligned flues 96' (Fig. 3) which, when the pan 9 is in normal position, are arranged directly below the arched bars 8b of grid 8; and also to form vertically aligned trough members 9 disposed between the fiues 9e, directly below the flues 8a of grid 8, said troughs 9f carrying off the drainage of the melting ice which rests on the bars 81).

Since the troughs 9 f in upper member 9a of the drain unit will receive ice water drippings directly from the grid 8, same will sweat on their bottoms, and thus the sweat grid member 9b is provided underneath the upper member 9a,, with its flues exactly registering with the fiues in upper grid member, so that any sweat dripping from the underside of the troughs of the upper grid member 9a will fall directly into the troughs 9] of the lower grid member 91), and will be carried to the registering drain ports 99 (Figs. 3 and 4) at the rear centers of both pan members 9a, 9b, which ports discharge directly into the drain pipe I 0. Ports 9g are sufliciently short so that they will clear the top of drain tube l0; and a Spring clip I2 is fastened to the rear wall 2 of provision chamber B normally holding the upper end of drain pipe It in its proper relation with respect to the drain ports 9g. Thus it is possible to insert and remove the drain pan unit Q-entirely independently of and without adjustment of the drain pipe I8.

Rubber bumpers 91' are provided at the front of the removable grid unit 9 not only to prevent injury of the unit or door 6 in event the unit is not pushed completely inwardly in its guide channels, but also primarily for the purpose of contacting squarely with the inner face of door 6, when closed, to insure that the unit will be pushed inwardly into its proper position in which the drain ports 99 of the unit are disposed over the funnel of drain pipe I0, thereby preventing accidental leakage of water from ports 9g into the provision chamber as would occur in event the unit 9 was not properly positioned with respect to drain pipe It). Once door 6 is closed, unit 9 cannot be improperly positioned, the bumpers 9.1: thereby providing an important safety feature.

Said trough members 9 of the drain grid unit 9 have their side edges upturned so as to afford free passage of air from the provision chamber B up through the fines 9e of the grid unit 9, and into contact with the bottom of ice grid 8 and into contact with the ice resting thereon, the warmer air generally rising upwardly in currents adjacent the walls of the provision chamber B, then passing through the flues 96 of the pan 9 adjacent their ends, and passing between the pan and grid 8 following the ice fins and the undersides of the bars 8b of the grid 8 towards the middle of the refrigerator, the chilled air then dropping through the approximate central portions of the flues 9e in currents towards the bottom of the provision chamber, thereby providing under-ice circulation of air currents as long as sufficient ice remains in the ice chamber A, and permitting the air to be washed while in circulation by the drippings from the ice and from the grid 8. Secondary over-ice circulation of air also occurs after the ice has sufficiently melted around the edges, opening the outermost flues 8a of the ice grid 8, and opening the front and rear ends of the remaining flues of the grid 8; and one of the principal features of my refrigerator is the circulation of air. When the ice chamber A is full with a fresh pound cake, the grid 8 is completely covered; and the circulation of the air is entirely beneath the ice cake. The ice melts around the edges as well as on the bottom of the cake due to heat which comes through the side walls of the ice chamber; and as the ice melts around the edges of the block the flues 8a at the extreme right and left (Fig. 1) become free of ice and are therefore uncovered, permitting conduction of air therethrough from the provision chamber B up into the ice chamber A and over the ice cake. The front and back ends of the centrally disposed fiues 8a (Fig. 1) will also be open at the same time permitting return of cold air as it descends down the front and back of the ice cake. The above type of air circulation causes only a slight rise in temperature on the inside'of the provision chamber B during under-ice circulation, but when the secondary or over-ice circulation commences, occurring when there is left about 68 pounds of ice in the ice chamber, the temperature trend is then slightly downward.

I claim:

1. In an ice refrigerator having an ice chamber disposed above a provision chamber and having a door for said provision chamber; an ice grid at the bottom of the ice chamber; a removable drip grid unit of less width than the provision door opening disposed below the ice grid; guides for the unit so disposed that the unit may be removed through the provision door when opened, said guides comprising channel members disposed adjacent the sides of the provision chamber; and said unit having members thereon engaging the channel members.

2. In an ice refrigerator having an ice chamber disposed above a provision chamberand having a door for said provision chamber; an ice grid at the bottom of the ice chamber; a removable drip grid unit of less width than the provision door opening disposed below the ice grid; guides for the unit so disposed that the unit may be removed through the provision door when opened, a drain spout depending from the unit; a drain tube in the provision chamber disposed below the spout and adapted to receive the drippings therefrom; and means whereby when the door is closed the unit will be positioned to align the spout and tube.

3. In an ice refrigerator having an ice chamber disposed above a provision chamber and having a door for said provision chamber; an ice grid at the bottom of the ice chamber; a removable drip grid unit of less width than the provision door opening disposed below the ice grid; guides for the unit so disposed that the unit may be removed through the provision door when opened, said ice grid comprising a sheet secured within the ice chamber, and having a series of parallel fiues therein, and upwardly arched strip portions formed between the flues.

4. In an ice refrigerator having an ice chamber disposed above a provision chamber and having a door for said provision chamber; an ice grid at the bottom of the ice chamber; a removable drip grid unit of less width than the provision door opening disposed below the ice grid; guides for the unit so disposed that the unit may be removed through the provision door when opened, said ice chamber having a door above the provision chamber door; a rail completing the closure between the doors; and one edge of said ice grid being formed to overlie the rail.

5. In an ice refrigerator having an ice chamber disposed above a provision chamber and having a door for said provision chamber; an ice grid at the bottom of the ice chamber; a removable drip grid unit of less width than the provision door opening disposed below the ice grid; guides for the unit so disposed that the unit may be removed through the provision door when opened, said drip grid unit comprising superimposed drain and sweat grid members connected together, said members having flues, and having trough shaped portions between the flues disposed directly below the openings of the ice grid when the unit is in normal position in the refrigerator.

6. In an ice refrigerator having an ice chamber disposed above the entire area of a provision chamber, each of said chambers having a door; an ice grid forming the bottom of the entire area of the ice chamber fixedly secured to the walls thereof; a removable drip grid unit of less width than the provision door opening and having flues therein disposed below the grid; and guides for the unit so disposed that the unit may be removed from the refrigerator through the provision door when opened, thereby preventing waste of cold air from the ice chamber during such removal.

'7. In a refrigerator as set forth in claim 6, said guides comprising plates depending from the sides of the ice grid and having outwardly opening channels therein disposed adjacent the sides of the provision chamber; and said drip grid unit having inwardly extending flanges along its side edges adapted to engage the channels.

8. In a refrigerator as set forth in claim 6, said ice grid comprising a sheet secured to the walls of the ice chamber, and having a series of parallel flues therein, and upwardly arched strip portions formed between the flues.

9. In a refrigerator as set forth in claim 6, said ice chamber door being disposed above the provision chamber door, a rail completing the closure between the doors; and one edge of said ice grid being formed to overlie the rail preventing wear on the upper face thereof.

10. In a refrigerator as set forth in claim 6, said drip grid unit comprising superimposed drain and sweat grid members of similar shape having upwardly extending flanges connected together, said members having flues and having trough shaped portions between the flues disposed directly below the openings of the ice grid when the unit is in normal position in the refrigerator.

11. In an ice refrigerator having an ice chamber disposed above a provision chamber, each of said chambers having a door; an ice supporting grid forming thebottom of the ice chamber and fixedly secured to the walls thereof; and a drip grid unit comprising superimposed drain and sweat grid members connected together, said members having flues and having trough shaped portions between the flues disposed directly below the openings of the ice grid.

12. In a refrigerator as set forth in claim 11, means whereby the drip grid unit may be removed from the refrigerator through the provision chamber door when the latter is open.

13. In a refrigerator as set forth in claim 11, said ice supporting grid comprising a sheet secured to the walls of the ice chamber; and having a series of parallel flues therein extending adj acent the walls of the ice chamber, whereby when the ice completely covers the grid under-ice air circulationonly is set up, but when the flues are partially uncovered a secondary over-ice circulation is set up.

14. In a refrigerator having a fixed ice supporting grid; a drip grid unit comprising superimposed drain and sweat grid members connected together, said members having flues and trough shaped portions between the flues disposed directly below the openings of the ice supporting grid.

15. ,In a drip grid unit as set forth in claim 14, the drain and sweat grid members being of similar shape, and having lateral flanges secured together.

WILLIAM IRVING REILLY. 

